Primate Experimentation in the US: The Facts We Weren’t Supposed to Know
By Michael A. Budkie, A.H.T.
513-575-5517 saen@saenonline.org

What Kinds of Experiments Are Performed on Primates?

Searches within the NIH CRISP system revealed some
common areas of experimentation that utilize primates. These areas of
experimentation were examined in macaque monkeys, the most commonly used
species of primates. CRISP searches reveal 15 experiments that study
heart disease in macaques, and 34 that study cancer. However, this same
system contains 51 projects that study cocaine in macaques, 58 that
study neurobiology, 44 that study alcohol, and 188 that study neural
information processing in macaques. Another 21 projects study macaque
sex and an additional 16 examine reproduction in macaques. It appears
that the NIH is more interested in getting primates drunk or stoned and
showing them a good time, than in curing real diseases.

The CRISP system lists a total of 1,072 projects that
involve macaque monkeys. 188, or 17.5%, are in the area of neural
information processing. Another substantial (116 or 10.8%) set of grants
study alcohol or addictive drugs in macaques.

Macaque Monkey Project Categorization
Based on the National Institutes of Health CRISP system